MAGIX offers Video Sound Cleaning LabBy
Mike Tomkins(Tuesday, July 13, 2010 - 02:54 EDT)Germany's MAGIX AG has announced the release of a new tool aimed at enthusiastic amateur videographers looking to improve the audio portion of their recordings.

MAGIX Video Sound Cleaning Lab can import videos in AVI, WMV, MOV, DV-AVI, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, or AVCHD formats, or alternativels, can also ingest audio by itself in WAV, MP3, WMA or OGG formats. If a full video has been imported, a small preview can be shown in the lower-right corner of the program window, synced to the current point in its audio track, providing a visual reference of what's being edited.Video and audio clips are loaded through the import tab, and three other tabs provide the remainder of the program's functionality.

The Remove tab offers Equalizer, FFT filter, DeNoise, Parametric EQ, DeHisser, and Spectral Cleaning functions. Each provides a selection of miscellaneous defaults controlled via simple sliders, each tailored to common situations, such as removing popping sounds, wind noise, 50-60hz humming, and camera noise. Certain presets are even specific to removing noise from specific Canon, Grundig, JVC and Sony camcorder models. The Remove tab also includes the ability to boost bass, mids, or trebles, and to emulate sounds such as those you'd expect for a telephone call, vintage radio broadcast, etc. Each option can be enabled or disabled separately, and gives access to a more detailed control panel with direct access to the various underlying adjustments, where presets can be fine-tuned, and your own presets made.

The Enhance tab offers DeClipper, Dynamics, StereoFX, Multimax, and Reverb / Echo tools, plus a plug-in slot for another tool, which defaults to providing a De-Esser effect. Through these controls you can correct for overdriven audio, automatically adjust levels, adjust the stereo picture or swap channels entirely, boost the volume, and simulate various room types such as small rooms or cathedrals, among other things. Again, each adjustment offers a more detailed control panel to adjust underlying settings from presets, and save your own.

In an adjacent window pane, the adjustments and controls available with each effect are described, along with their potential pitfalls. The same area of the screen can be used to show a real-time graphic equalizer, or a preview of the video synchronized with the current audio position (unless working directly on an audio file). There's also an overall volume fader accompanied by buttons that select the best level to avoid clipping entirely, or to balance clipping against track volume. Beneath this window pane, some effects provide links to hear a preselected audio clip (rather than your current clip), demonstrating the results before and after application, and training your ear for what to listen for in your own audio track.

Dominating the top two thirds of the screen, there's a waveform showing the entire length of the audio track, alongside a larger window pane which shows only the currently selected portion of the audio. This lower display can offer a two-track view, separate display of left / right channels if working on a stereo track, as well as spectral display and volume curves. Interestingly, Video Sound Cleaning Lab allows you not only to draw a volume curve for use in playback, but even to draw a waveform on top of the audio track -- useful for editing out small pops and crackles manually.

When done, one can export the results in the same video / audio formats that the program can import, with the sole exception of WMV video. In addition, you can export in MAGIX' own MXV format, allowing the results to be returned to MAGIX' consumer-oriented Movie Edit Pro software, extending the audio processing capabilities of that solution. (Video Sound Cleaning Lab can also work with Video Pro X2, if you prefer its interface, but since Video Pro X2 already includes robust audio editing capabilities, much of the functionality is duplicated between the programs.) In addition to Movie Edit Pro users, MAGIX is targeting users of competing video editors such as those from Adobe and Pinnacle with its new software.

MAGIX Video Sound Cleaning Lab is available immediately, priced at US$50. An introductory discount price of US$40 is available until July 20th. More details can be found on the MAGIX AG website.

(Vocus) July 9, 2010 -- MAGIX knows audio. Since the creation of Music Maker in 1994, they grew their audio engine to support professional audio workstations, moving into the DAW (Digital Audio Work Station) arena fairly early. For 15 years MAGIX has grown its software offerings, continually being recognized for the amazing sound their software produces, even in basic consumer products.

Videos, especially ones made in non-ideal environments, often need a bit a tweaking to bring them up to a consumer’s requirements. Many software solutions offer video and picture clean up but skimp out on the audio handling of the footage. Audio is important; anyone who has ever sat through a video with a badly recorded audio track knows this. MAGIX wants its user’s videos to speak for themselves - and to be heard clearly.

Video Sound Cleaning Lab has been designed to perfectly integrate with MAGIX’s own Movie Edit Pro, and is a great compliment for any other video editing software. With audio editing options that are more extensive than those offered within common video editing software, Video Sound Cleaning Lab is a great tool to use on its own or in conjunction with a video editor.

An example of a pro-audio tool included in the package that users will find no were else is the spectral cleaning tool, simple operation as well as professional waveform display. For every problem MAGIX Video Sound Cleaning Lab has a solution. The active video monitors offers users full control, enabling them to remove wind static, audience coughs or claps, fix how some speech sounds, or replicate the sound of various sized rooms and environments. Users can even preview their video and create a secondary audio track used for commentary on their video.

Users will be provided with all the tools they could possibly want, and then some. With access to the MAGIX online community, users are connected to sound and video professionals where they can post questions and get almost immediate feedback. Feature set - Complete worry-free package with codecs activated for free, perfectly selected features and optimum workflows! - Easy operation thanks to the infobox, task wizard, video monitor and overview track - Integrated ProAudio technology with the “sound-neutral” Samplitude sound - Import & export formats: AVI, WMV1, MOV, DV-AVI, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, AVCHD, etc. 1Import only The top user cases (highlights): - Remove wind noise: Get rid of bothersome wind hissing in vacation videos (parametric EQ) - Remove camera noise or power hum: made easily possible with the DeNoiser & FFT filter - Dysfunctional stereo tracks or sound coming in only on one side? Quick sound duplication effect - Optimize speech or remove S-sounds using the compressor or the DeEsser, does just what it sounds like: removes the “s” sound from speech or plays it down - Remove popping sounds: The integrated 10-band EQ solves this problem - Get rid of single coughs, clapping or noises: make use of spectral cleaning - Adjust soundtrack volume, simulate rooms, echo, and much more.